For God's sake Arts and Humanities students do work experience making coffee for those in your chosen profession during Easter or Summer. Because if you don't you might as well go straight back to the bar or shop you worked in when you were 16 because it will be the only place that will employ you.

Katya, Sheffield,

Well said. I spent the worst 3 years of my life at Nottingham, surrounded by drunks, lecturers mumbling into their chalk, hours in labs without a tutor in sight, zero support or advice.We all tried to make the best of it; it was a ghastly waste of time and money. Should have waited 10 years for OU.

Mike, London, UK

I just started my first year of journalism and, while I do find it interesting and certainly hope it'll benefit my career, I find certain aspects of education an absolute waste of time as I am mainly surrounded by pseudo intellectuals who quite frankly make more sense when they are drunk.

Kris, Southampton, England

Im a 2nd year spending most of my time trying to justify why im here. Sometimes it feels like youre being farmed through your education. Can't honestly say I've read anything really eye-opening through being here and my grammar's as appauling as ever. It'd be more worthwhile to learn capentry!

Kate, Sheffield, UK

University has opened up my mind both academically and socially. At my uni there are over 100 clubs and societies to take part in which provide a sufficient counterbalance to study. University is a fantastic experience, far more rewarding and interesting than School.

Ollie, Southampton, England

To those who are not sure, who are wavering or maybe didn't quite get the marks needed to do the course you wanted, I left school at 16, never did A-levels, gained a 1st at 33 in engineering and now manage a £100M project. Believe in yourself, work hard, try again and make the most of life...

Graham, Ashtead, Surrey

You are really talking about liberal arts students. I took Physics, and sent most of my time in the lab. Believe it or not, Science students don't spend a lot of time on empty philosophical wittering. Studying Science is more like having a job.

jon livesey, Sunnyvale, CA/USA

I have 2 degrees, and I don't regret either of them. I learnt a huge amount doing both, I learnt a trade (midwifery) and an awful lot of useful skills and met some great people and some awful people. I had opportunities I otherwise wouldn't have had. University life is what you make of it.

Claire, London,

I agree, there is a life affirming character in the idea of expanding our own minds.

But surely this is possible without sending yourself into thousands of pounds worth of debt?

Libaries are still free after all.

Benjamin Tysoe, Winchester, England

You only have to look at our incompetent Government, to know that Uni is a waste of time, for some. I also agree that 'Life at Uni' should start later in life, especially for those who think they are 'PM in Waiting' !Get a job ! Get some life experience !! Build a business, then build a Country !

CJ, Hertford, UK

There are students who study, are interested and acquire knowledge during the university years. I personally cannot imagine my life without the years spent at university.
Maybe the social life was not so great but on other levels
it has matured me and it has prepared me for the job market.

Shkurte, Prishtina, Republic of Kosova

Woah, chill Neil (Coventry). I think you've missed the point of the 3 r's....

I think this sums it up pretty well "Also, university does serve one clear purpose: it contains the damage young adults cause to their reputations while experimenting with..."

Quy, Manchester,

I am in my 4th year at university having spent a year in Austria. I hated my first two years-they were pointless. I learnt more from living abroad than any university could ever teach me, however I wouldn't have gone were it not for my German course...

Sarah, Leeds, UK

First of all, sorry only has 2 'r's. For me, university was an escape from a disadvantaged life in an undesirable home town. I am sick to death of the media casting us off as self-obsessed drunkards. This article bears no relation to my experiences at all and is therefore irrelevant to me.

Neil, Coventry,

So you'd have had the same career without university - without Cambridge? Somehow I don't think so.

Richard, Leyburn,

The point of studying English Lit isn't to know the role of history in Milton's poetry; it's to argue cogently and think logically. Eloquence is an incredibly important skill.

sarah, london,

I achieved good A level results last year and started at uni, however, after 8 weeks, I realised that I was part of something which felt like it had very little purpose.
I left uni and got a job, and signed up for an OU degree. I am working and learning and I will have a degree and experience.

Rachel, Birmingham, UK

Totally down with that, Sat, all you say is true. Just one thing though: "students are usually marginal characters in fiction". Um. Marginal like Hamlet and Raskolnikov and Holden Caulfield, you mean? Or just obscure like Jude?

Giles, London, England

Recently graduated, I am finding in my field (Computer Network Management) my degree is almost entirely irrelevant! The classification has some baring... but its shocking how many employers look for industrial qualifications and a years work placement rather than the degree. Quite worrying!

Andrew Campbell-Burt, Ryde, UK

A degree leading to higher earnings is a confusion of cause and effect. People who go to University are on average, more intelligent so they're more likely to earn more regardless of whether they go to Uni or not.

University itself contributes little unless you take a specialist degree.

Matt, Cardiff,

I was at university from 1967 to 1971 and have fond memories of seeing a lot of groups in their early days at college gigs. I still have bad dreams about sitting my finals. Signs of four years well-spent? I never used any of the stuff that I studied, and am now retired.

Bill Peter, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

University life is more independent if you go to a University where independence is promoted; where there is no communal dining room and you are expected to fend for yourself. Similarly with cademia; If you get at 2:1 for reciting the reading list, its not worth it . Critical analysis must be vital

Paddy, London, UK

Right on with the age raise Sathnam - I've yet to meet a school leaver with the gravitas to study philosophy.

stuart munro, Seoul , Korea

"Or perhaps not bothered at all: no one ever asks what class of degree you got after graduation. "

Perhaps not in your "profession" but if you wanta job in a top consultancy or other elite company they will ask and expect firsts and 2:1s.

Neil Murphy, Cromer,

Yes, yes, yes! Universities are a peculiar combination of, on the one hand, the pompous and the self-important, and on the other hand, the banal and the trivial. They really do believe that, without them, civilisation would collapse, and the rest of the world doesn't matter.

N Jones, Swansea,

There is too much focus on education's effect on career and earning potential. What about education for its own sake?
If we only value the degrees that seem 'economically useful', what a sad, dull, world we will have.

Louise, Liverpool,